


Under Cover

by WaterSeraphim



Category: Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, Magic: The Gathering (Card Game), Original Work
Genre: Dimir Shenanigans, Espionage, Gen, Identity Porn, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Shapeshifting, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 15:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20726387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaterSeraphim/pseuds/WaterSeraphim
Summary: Shiv, a Dimir shapeshifter, has been working to maintain his guild’s control over Ravnica along with his trusty companion Nyx, a mysterious three-legged crow. Shiv had been ordered to keep watch on those who are under Bolas’ thumb. The Dimir cannot allow the dragon’s pawns to usurp control.





	Under Cover

The early morning sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows of the Orzhov cathedral. Vibrant colors across the spectrum fractured and painted the gathering in beautiful geometric light. Masses of devout faithful were packed into the pews of the ancient building heads bowed and hands clasped together. Giving praise and prayer to the false god of the church, an empty shrine. 

Shiv found himself standing idly in the back of the nave, Nyx perched faithfully on his shoulder. Her golden coins adorning her shoulders clanked and jingled as she preened her dark plumage. Shiv felt like a doll, all proper and dressed for his pontiff. Clean shaven and draped with the most luxurious fabrics that would make the elven woman Lysse swoon in admiration. 

The Orzhov were skilled at pulling the cloth over the eyes of the unknowing. Shiv felt a sort of familiarity about them. Subterfuge was his nature, putting on this mask was an escape in a way. A home he returned to after becoming another being, another creature for someone else. 

This mask was named Ardem Imudzov, he was a proficient advokist, skilled enough to catch the attention of one Pontiff Vueldar. By attaching himself to Vueldar he gained access to the higher circles of the Syndicate’s aristocracy. Putting him within reach of his target among the Orzhov. Teysa Karlov.

The Church of Deals might have seemed like an indomitable evil to its debtors, but they were kittens to the Dimir. Little baby animals playing a dangerous game they could only pray to understand. Shiv’s master, his true master, kept the Orzhov in line by holding their true nature against them. What would the faithful do if they discovered their god was a myth created to keep them in line? Their savior was not coming, their souls would not be redeemed. The church would be crushed, the flow of money into the guild would dry up. It’s reputation would be destroyed. 

Shiv smiled, stroking Nyx’s head with his nimble fingers. She cooed and squawked, rubbing the side of her face against his open palm. It was a nice change from the ear splitting screeches and guttural moans the packs of grey skinned thrulls that clung to his heels like obedient dogs emitted. Their devotion and submission did nothing for Shiv, he much preferred when others thought he was harmless and obedient. His career was built around being underestimated, after all.

Vueldar’s arrival pulled his attention back to the task at hand. Shiv gave a polite bow as the man approached from the south transept skirting the edges of the pews as to not draw undue attention. The man was middle age in appearance, but his body was deceiving. His true age was far beyond that of a normal human, reaching just above 200 years at this point. Vueldar was dressed in conservative white and dark blue robes with a golden collar signifying his status. He had an aura of exhaustion about him always, Shiv had to remind him to sleep much too often. It wasn’t unusual to find him passed out over his paperwork.

“Master Vueldar,” Shiv murmured with a constructed smile, mindful of the service going on around him. Disrupting a holy gathering would be a great strike against his and his master’s reputation. “Your meeting went well, I hope?”

Vueldar sighed, rubbing the space between his brows in frustration. He kept his voice nothing above a hushed whisper. “As well as it could have gone, Karlov is on my ass to put it frankly. He’s threatening me about quotas and debts, you know how it is. Doesn’t like how I’ve been speaking with his granddaughter, either.” 

“Why don’t we go and have some fun, Master Vueldar? Take your mind off of things?” Shiv smirked, sticking his hip out and using the usual playful tone the pontiff expected of Ardem. 

Vueldar crossed his arms and gave Shiv a once over, paying Nyx extra attention, his annoyed expression morphed into a happy one. His innuendo hadn’t gone unnoticed, it seemed. “Is that an offer, Ardem?” He laughed and clipped Shiv’s shoulder with his own, the one that the crow wasn’t resting on. He placed his hand on the small of Shiv’s back and walked him out of the cathedral. Thrulls carrying packs containing scrolls clattered behind them, their nails loud clicks against the stone floors.

“If you desire it, Master.” Shiv hummed, leaning into Vueldar’s embrace. Nyx eyed the two of them curiously, squawking and flapping her wings a bit. 

The pontiff mulled over the thought for a moment, Shiv could hear the ideas rolling through his mind, they were messy and uncoordinated. Bombarding him with explicit images that had his facade blushing a bright red.

“I’ll have to decline, sadly. I have another meeting on the hour… maybe some other time?” Vueldar didn’t attempt to conceal the eagerness in his voice, Shiv felt a pang of something in his chest for a second before it faded into the same controlled disinterest. It was dangerous to allow his emotions to interfere with his work. Even if it was for someone like this uncharacteristically friendly pontiff. 

“Maybe.” Shiv winked and removed himself from Vueldar’s hold. Of course he knew that the man would be busy, he had arranged the meeting himself. He needed the pontiff to be preoccupied so he could get his own business done. There was an appointment with another advokist he was eagerly looking forward to. 

The easiest way to control people was through the ones they loved and trusted, luckily for Shiv, he was able to become those trusted persons. Once he was in close contact with someone he could replicate their appearance and voice, he could skim through their head and absorb their thoughts and feelings in order to reconstruct their personality and understand the relationships they had with others. His abilities as a shapeshifter were a priceless asset to the Dimir, which earned him as much respect and power as one could earn in a den of liars and assassins. 

Vueldar stayed with him for as long as he could until he was needed again, Shiv escorted him to the meeting place with the pontiff’s necessary papers and scrolls in hand. They departed after exchanging the documents, Vuledar’s gaze held his own for longer than what could be deemed friendly. Shiv bowed again with a smile, Nyx mimicking the motion, and then left for his own meeting.

The crow was excited too, her far away eyes were shining with what Shiv had come to recognize as mischief. He could hear some of her thoughts filter into his head. It was strange to hear what a bird was thinking. Her voice was untamed, rough around the edges, mostly images and ideas rather than words. She didn’t have the same level of understanding a humanoid being could have, but she was still an intelligent creature. 

Pretty stone bird! White feathers. Sun. Gold. Nyx like.

“He’s alright, for an Orzhov lawyer.” Shiv chuckled, petting Nyx’s throat. The crow threw her head back to expose her neck making the coins around her head jingle and jangle. “He’s much too trusting, and easy to exploit. He’s far better suited for the Azorius, or even the Selesnya.”

Tree people! Nyx like!

“I’ll take you to play with in the Selesnya birdbaths again soon.” Shiv smiled, ducking into the doorway of an old stone building. The knights in shining gold plates paid him and Nyx no mind. If they found a man talking to a bird strange they didn’t show it. 

The two of them made their way up a winding staircase slowly but surely. The Orzhov prefered grandiose architecture over the more practical alternatives. It was a wonder how those ancient oligarchs managed to make their way around. Shiv was winded after climbing only a few floors.

He arrived at his meeting fashionably late. As he pushed open the massive wooden doors rich brown eyes met his. 

“Hello Mister Imudzov.” Tomik Vrona stood and offered up the chair beside him, as was expected of him under Orzhov etiquette. 

“Good afternoon Master Vrona.” Shiv bowed, even though he shared a similar position as Vrona within the syndicate, the young man belonged to the aristocracy. Ardem did not, he had joined the Orzhov rather than have the luxury to be born among them. His status in the guild would forever be hindered by not being a true member of the syndicate. 

“You’re late,” Vrona raised an eyebrow, taking his own seat.

“My apologies, my master needed my assistance. He has a habit of dropping important papers into dirt if I leave him on his own.” Shiv plastered a smile on his face, aiming to placate Vrona’s annoyance. 

Vrona eyed him warily, his hand was gripped around the arm of his seat. His elegant fingers were tensed up, tendons and bones stretching against his pale skin. It read to Shiv as nervous, how delightful. If only Vrona knew how right he was to be feeling that.

The boy sighed, his voice sounded defeated in a way. “Vueldar is an ally of Lady Teysa, that’s why I agreed to meet with you.” 

“And not because of our night together? Ah, Master Vrona, you wound me.” Shiv laughed, slinking down into the cushioned chair across from Vrona.

Ardem was a promiscuous advokist indeed. While the memories of any explicit activities were implanted in pontiff Vueldar’s head, Vrona’s were real. 

“That..!” Vrona began with a start, his face red and shoulders drawn up defensively. “That was a long time ago…and if you only wanted to see me in order to mock me then I must be somewhere else.” The brunet frowned and made to stand. 

White feathers cute! Don’t go!

Shiv was inclined to agree with Nyx, he needed the advokist to cooperate in order to make his plan work seamlessly. A botched operation spelled disaster. 

“No, Master Vrona, my apologies. I’m here about Lady Karlov.”

Now that piqued the boy’s interest, his eyes darted back to Shiv’s. “You’ve heard word?”

“Gossip reaches me like garbage reaches the Golgari. My master has a hard time keeping any of his meetings a secret from me. He’s… chatty.” 

“I know, it’s been a problem before,” Vrona said grimly. “My lady dislikes divulging any information to him because of that. But you… you’ve proven trustworthy, despite my previous objections.” 

“Did I leave that much of an impression?” Shiv looked to Nyx and stroked her feathered back. 

“You, left me.” Vrona growled. 

Shiv smiled flatly, “I never said I was going to stay.”

“You never said you were going to pull me into an empty room. Take me into your mouth. Then disappear after I finished, Ardem. With my pants no less.” 

Shiv shrugged, “You enjoyed it didn’t you? You came back for more.” 

Vrona’s eyes closed as he stuttered, “B-back to what we were discussing! What news do you have about Lady Karlov?”

Shiv’s smirk faded, he folded his gloved hands in his lap before speaking. “The Obzedat will be extinguishing her publicly, three weeks from tomorrow.” 

“Three weeks,” Vrona exhaled slowly, eyes wide. “Are you sure?”

“I am.” Shiv inclined his head. 

Granddaughter Karlov was dear to Master Vrona, sending the young advokist into a state of distress over his master’s safety was part of the plan. Sure, Teysa Karlov was going to be extinguished, but the idea to do so had been planted there by none other than Shiv himself.

His true master had wanted to disrupt the woman’s scheming. Shiv infiltrated her prison to unravel her thoughts only to find that she was playing with a power she couldn’t comprehend. Nicol Bolas, the name had been popping up all over Ravnica recently. Lazav himself had confessed his fear of the dragon. If Teysa Karlov was being influenced by Bolas, then the Dimir could not allow her to continue on her path to overthrowing her grandfather.

Looking into Vrona’s mind had revealed other concerns as well. He didn’t know much about the dragon, and what little information he did know was not from Lady Karlov but another pawn. Ral Zarek. A planeswalker, how the rats have come out to play! Zarek and Vrona were closer than Shiv had expected, Vrona could lie after all. Not that it worked against a Dimir agent. 

Their relationship could be useful leverage for Shiv, he wondered what Vrona would do to keep the information a secret. Only pressing would tell, but for now there were other matters at hand.

Vrona removed his spectacles and rubbed at his eyes blearily. “Not much time then, I need to warn her.”

“Yes, we must plan some sort of intervention. Do you have any ideas…?”

“Actually… Lady Karlov had mentioned an assassination.” Vrona said, voice dropping low.

Shiv leaned forward in his seat, now this was news to him. Not that he needed to hear it from Vrona’s mouth in order to uncover the information, but it was easier this way. “Oh?”

Tomik eyed him for a moment before continuing. “She has her sights set on unseating her grandfather before her sentence can be carried out. “

“So does everyone he extinguishes, how is she any different?”

“Lady Karlov has made contact with a particular assassin who is… skilled in the department of killing the undead.” Tomik frowned, replacing his glasses. “I shouldn’t have told you that much.”

Shiv grinned and stood, now towering over the advokist still seated across from him. “Don’t worry, Vrona. I know how to keep a secret, especially a secret as grave as this one.” 

Vrona’s posture took up a defensive position, clearly uncomfortable with Shiv in his personal space. “Yes, well. Thank you for telling me.” 

However, when he tried to stand, Shiv placed a hand on his shoulder anchoring him to his seat. Vrona looked up at him with a mixture of anger and disbelief. “We aren’t done here yet, Vrona.”

“What? What are you talking about?” 

Shiv said nothing in response, instead he reached out with his magic and flooded Tomik Vrona’s head. Pressing further, molding himself around the most intimate part of his body. Consuming as much of his knowledge as he could get his mental hands on. The man panting under him, stuck in place but still painfully aware of what was messing around inside of his brain.

“Oh, that’s very interesting. Keeping secrets from your master? How unlike you.”

Vrona growled, twisting and writhing in his chair. 

“Almost done, aaaand that should be enough.” Shiv extracted himself from Vrona’s mind and allowed his mask of Ardem Imudzov to melt away. His shape reformed, muscles tearing and reconstructing. His skin stretched and changed into a new man, one with short brown hair, hazel eyes and a sweet smile. 

“F - f - f” Tomik choked, his teeth clenched and his eyes screwing shut.

Most people didn’t react kindly to the feeling of having their body analyzed by Shiv’s magic. He’d been told it was painful, which was why he usually did it to people who were already dead or unconscious. Sadly he needed Vrona to be alive, for now. 

The shape was easy, the strength of his disguise really boiled down to how accurately he could mimic Vrona’s mannerisms. He had worn the advokist’s mask before, after all. He was quite familiar with becoming Tomik Vrona. His position offered him the best access to Teysa Karlov while bringing no undue attention to himself.

Vrona also trusted him, the fool. The feeling wasn’t even fabricated by him, he actually believed that Ardem was a loyal ally to Lady Karlov’s cause. Of course Vrona didn’t know Ardem’s true nature, Shiv made sure to remove all those pesky little memories that incriminated him. He couldn’t allow the knowledge of his true nature to spread. It would ruin everything he had worked so hard to accomplish among the Orzhov. Shiv would be forced to start over as someone else.

Shiv took Vrona’s glasses and placed them on his own face, the real Vrona glared up at him furiously. “This. Won’t w-work.”

“Oh, on the contrary, Master Vrona. This works every time I do it.” Shiv smiled innocently, his voice now a perfect replication of Vrona’s. Shiv adjusted his robes and removed Vrona’s gold collar to place on himself. Ardem’s outfit was similar enough to Vrona’s that swapping clothes beyond the necessary accessories would just be a pointless hassle.

Shiv patted the side of Vrona’s face and whistled, “Nyx, your turn.”

The crow previously on Shiv’s shoulder landed in Vrona’s lap with a clang of her gold coins. She turned her entrancing three eyed gaze to meet the man’s. Vrona would find that he couldn’t look away, trapped in that hypnotic gaze, absolutely mesmerized. A wave of darkness emanated from the bird, wrapping Vrona in conniving black magic. His shoulders slumped, his eyes drooped and his chin lowered in exhaustion. A few moments later, he was passed out asleep.

“Good girl,” Shiv murmured and offered up his arm to her, which she landed on with ease. She preened her plumage and gave a pleased squawk.

Now that Vrona was unlikely to awaken within the next day without having Nyx’s slumber dispelled, Shiv could speak with Lady Karlov. He would seal the room and return later to fulfill the last part of this interaction after seeing her. 

Shiv made his way back outside, down the spiral staircases and out the entrance. The golden knights outside said nothing, didn’t even turn to him as he passed by. As soon as Shiv was outside of the building Nyx took off and hovered in the air high above Orzhova. Through her eyes, Shiv could see far past the tenth district into the complex cityscape of Ravnica. He only needed to see one person, though.

“Got you.” Shiv grinned.

Lady Karlov’s ‘prison’ was closer than he expected, truly her cell was more like a luxury hotel room than anything else. The aristocracy was granted no small amount of favors even when faced with imminent doom. The average guildless debtor would have been killed on the spot, no waste of resources or money on someone meant to die anyway. Their body would be harvested to use for thrulls or the swill that the oligarchs drink to extend their unnatural lives. Then their souls would be bound to eternal torment under the Obzedat’s contracts, cursing them to work for the Orzhov until their descendants could finally pay off their centuries old debt.

Shiv felt no pity for Teysa Karlov, he would relish her death. Long have the masses suffered under the command of people like her. So proud of themselves for being different from their conservative ancestors only to realize, no, they aren’t very different at all. The innocent still bear the burden of her triumphs. How many people is one person worth?

The guards outside of Karlov’s room bore the usual stoicism Shiv had come to expect. They paid no mind to Vrona visiting his master, as he did on a daily basis to keep her updated on news of the outside world. Shiv pushed open the door and entered Karlov’s prison.

“Tomik?” Karlov paused her writing, pen in hand at her desk. She oftentimes tasked Vrona with sending out letters to her allies, it wasn’t unusual to see her busy behind a stack of papers. “You’re here early.” 

“I’ve heard urgent news, Lady Teysa.” Shiv frowned and closed the heavy door behind him. It would be unwise to allow the guards to hear their conversation. 

“What is it?” 

Shiv paused to give the impression he was collecting his thoughts. “Your sentence is to be carried out soon, you are going to be… extinguished.”

Karlov’s face was a mask of calm, her lip in a thin line. She set aside her pen and papers all together and turned to face Shiv fully. Despite her posturing he could see darkness lining her eyes, the lack of sleep she had been getting. “When?”

“Three weeks.” Shiv bowed his head grimly.

Teysa folded her hands in her lap and breathed. Shiv noted the shakiness in her movements. She was scared, good. “Kaya will be here soon, a friend of mine has swore it to me.”

Bolas. Bolas had swore it to her. Teysa Karlov was a fool to believe anything the dragon said. Shiv had heard of this Kaya from Vrona’s thoughts, the assassin who was supposed to slay the Obzedat which would save Karlov’s life in the process. She was another rat, another planeswalker, lurking where she didn’t belong. Unlike Zarek, this Kaya wasn’t even from Ravnica, she was an outsider brought here by Bolas surely for some ulterior motive. The unrest among the Orzhov would come to benefit Nicol Bolas, perhaps that was his goal. The dragon’s agents had been causing chaos across all ten of the guilds, even within the Dimir. Agents loyal to Lazav have been extracting those placed by Bolas slowly, it was a difficult process. But no one could manipulate the Dimir from under Lazav. 

Shiv had been ordered not to react, but his hands were calling for violence, his blades singing for blood to spill. The current state of his home was frustrating him to no end. Outsiders everywhere, infiltrating Ravnica and causing disarray. The Dimir would have to clean out the dragon’s pawns littered throughout the ten guilds. Their rise to power would be ceased, and they would be swiftly dealt with one way or another.

“I hope she is as skilled as you say she is, for your sake.” Shiv nodded his head and held the golden frames sitting on the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what else we could do.”

“I believe she is capable.” Karlov adjusted herself in her seat, relieving the pressure on her bad leg. 

“Do you know how soon she’ll be here?” Shiv asked. Pressing for more information. He needed a timeframe for when he was to keep watch for this Kaya. 

“I’ve been told she should arrive within the next two days,” Teysa answered.

A loud rap came from the door, their time was cut short by the knights guarding Teysa’s prison. Her visits had been limited to those her grandfather deemed safe enough to allow to visit her, and only for short periods of time. The Obzedat were playing with her, watching her scramble for her life before finally putting an end to her. Shiv always thought that such practices were a waste of time. It was better to kill more quickly than to draw it out and use up valuable resources that could be spent elsewhere. 

“Goodbye, Lady Teysa. I’ll see you again soon.” Shiv bowed with a small smile. It was likely that Vrona would be back soon within a few hours in order to collect her letters and send them out on his gargoyle. 

Karlov returned to her desk once again, pen in hand. Sighing, she said, “Thank you, Tomik.”

Shiv left Karlov’s prison with a pep to his step. There was much to tell his master, their plans were falling into place, and now there were at least three planeswalkers involved. Shiv laughed to himself as he descended the spiral staircase. The rats were falling into the trap they had set. Soon the mechanisms in place would close and crush the life out of them. Anyone aligned with Nicol Bolas would be shown no mercy.

A bird cried overhead with a gust of wind and the fluttering of wings. Nyx landed on his shoulder with practiced ease in a burst of midnight feathers. She cooed happily and rubbed the side of her face against Shiv’s jaw.

“See anything interesting while I was gone?”

Food. Yum.

Shiv smiled and stroked the bird’s head, her eyes closed as she leaned into the touch.“You ate something? A mouse?”

Thrull! 

“Nyx! Don’t eat those things! You don’t know where they’ve been!” Shiv cried out in surprise, Nyx only puffed out her chest feathers proudly and gave a defiant squawk.

Now we have an advokist to deal with. Shiv thought to the bird as he headed back to where they left the sleeping Vrona. Another climb up another spiral staircase later and they were back at the sealed room. Shiv murmured a series of words to himself, and the protective magic faded away allowing the two to pass inside the door. 

Vrona was right where they left him, head rolled onto his shoulder and slouched back into the cushioned chair. He was snoring softly, and his chest rose and fell with his gentle breathing. He was a pretty sight, but that wasn’t what Shiv was there for at the moment.

He stood before Vrona and placed a gloved hand on top of his head, threading his fingers through brown waves of hair. He focused his magic between them, connecting their minds again. Shiv reached within himself for the strands of memories he had of his encounter with Karlov. Carefully, he duplicated them and pulled them from his mind, feeding them into Vrona’s. Now there would be no awkward gaps in the advokist’s knowledge that would confuse him or alert him to any tampering. 

Finally, he dove into Vrona’s mind searching for the strands of memories of Ardem and what had happened in the room before Nyx had put him to sleep. Effortlessly Shiv tugged on the thoughts and images until they collapsed in on themselves, disintegrating and fading away entirely. In the spaces the memories left behind he fit the meeting he had with Karlov, sealing it all together with the polish of an experienced Dimir thought stealer. 

Shiv removed Vrona’s glasses and collar and replaced them back onto the slumbering man, then he dropped the mask. His body distorted and melted back into the form of Ardem Imudzov with the familiarity of returning home after an extended journey. Shiv sighed and offered Vrona a smile, pinching the man’s handsome cheek before laughing to himself and stalking out of the room like an unseen shadow. 

Nyx flapped into the air and landed back in Vrona’s lap, she fixed her gaze on his sleeping face and cawed. Her cries lifted the spell she had set the man under. Shiv could see through Nyx’s eyes as Vrona awoke with a start, jumping at the sight of the bird sitting on top of him. Hesitantly he reached out a hand and slid it down Nyx’s back. The bird cheeped happily and ruffled her feathers to impress Vrona with her plumage. 

“Ardem’s bird… how did you get here? How did I get here?” Vrona sighed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses drawing the exhaustion from them. He sat in the chair for a long time, trying to recollect his thoughts. Nyx happily stayed and submitted herself to being pet by Vrona’s adept hands. 

“I should go, little birdy. I’m sure your owner misses you too.” Vrona groaned and stood, and knocked Nyx off of him in the process. 

By the time she reached Shiv he had already met with Lazav and reported his progress. Soon, then, the Dimir would be watching for the arrival of this new planeswalker Karlov had spoken of. If everything worked as planned, the Orzhov would be under their thumb in three weeks time.

They would show Nicol Bolas who Ravnica truly belonged to.


End file.
